GENESIS
Author: Moses
To Whom Written: The people of Israel
The name "Genesis" comes from
a Greek word meaning "beginning." And this is a book of beginnings, because it
talks about the beginning of the universe, the beginning of the human race, and the
beginning of the people of Israel.
The first part of Genesis (1-11) tells about creation and the human race up to the time of
Abraham. Everything God created was good, but the first two human beings, Adam and Eve,
disobeyed him and brought evil into the world. People became so sinful that God decided to
send a flood to kill everyone except a man named Noah and his family. They worshiped God,
and so God told them to build a large boat to save themselves and a few of each kind of
animals and birds. After the flood people again spread out over the earth, and most of
them stopped worshiping God.
The rest of the book of Genesis (12-50) contains the story of Abram and his family. God
chose them to be the beginning of his own special people. God also changed Abram's name to
Abraham, and the name of Abram's wife Sarai to Sarah. Abraham and his wife Sarah had no
children, but God promised that they would have a child and that their descendants would
someday have their own land and be a blessing for all nations.
Abraham and Sarah moved to Canaan, the land that God had promised to give their
descendants. Abraham and Sarah had a son, Isaac, when they were very old. Isaac later had
two sons, Jacob and Esau. As the book concludes, Jacob's twelve sons and their families
are living in Egypt. One of these brothers, Joseph, had become the governor of Egypt. But
Joseph knew that God would someday keep his promise to his people:
Before Joseph died, he told his brothers, "I won't live much longer. But God will
take care of you and lead you out of Egypt to the land he promised Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob." (50.24)
A QUICK LOOK AT THIS BOOK
The Story of Creation (1.1-2.25)
The First Sin and the First Murder (3.1-4.16)
Descendants of Adam before the Flood (4.17-5.32)
Noah and the Flood (6.1-9.28)
The Descendants of Noah and the Tower of Babel (10.1-11.32)
The Lord Chooses Abram (12.1-20)
Abram and Lot (13.1-14.24)
The Lord's Promises to Abram (15.1-21)
Abram, Hagar, and Ishmael (16.1-16)
God Changes Abram's Name to Abraham and Promises Him a Son (17.1-18.15)
Abraham, Lot, Sodom, and Gomorrah (18.16-19.38)
Abraham, Sarah, and Isaac (20.1-23.20)
Rebekah, a Wife for Isaac (24.1-67)
The Death of Abraham (25.1-18)
Isaac and His Family (25.19-28.9)
Jacob and His Family (28.10-35.29)
Esau and His Family (36.1-43)
Joseph Is Sold by His Brothers as a Slave (37.1-36)
Judah and Tamar (38.1-30)
Joseph in Egypt (39.1-41.57)
Joseph and His Brothers (42.1-45.28)
Jacob and His Family Go to Egypt (46.1-47.31)
Jacob Blesses His Family and Dies (48.1-50.14)
Joseph Dies (50.15-26)
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